HAPshop: How Haptic Information Affects Consumers’ Purchase Intentions Toward Online Products
31 Pages Posted: 29 Jul 2023
Abstract
While numerous researchers from different disciplines have contributed to understanding the role of haptic information in the digital context, few have adopted a comprehensive approach that spans device development to consumer reactions. To address this gap, the current study developed the HAPshop system, a 3D mouse-shaped haptic device that delivers haptic information about a product in a digital setting, and investigated its impact on consumer psychology and behavior during online shopping. The HAPshop can calculate two-dimensional tangential frictional force and one-dimensional normal height changes to deliver 3D tactile information about products to consumers. The study demonstrated that providing haptic information through the HAPshop can enhance positive consumer responses. Through a behavioral lab experiment and sequential mediation analysis, we demonstrated that physical haptic information delivered through HAPshop leads to a sense of spatial proximity between the consumer and product, increased product elaboration during the shopping experience, and greater certainty in their evaluation of the product. This ultimately translates into a higher purchase likelihood toward consumers’ favorable product. These findings contribute to the literature on human-computer interaction (HCI) and consumer psychology by providing an interdisciplinary understanding of device development and consumer reactions, bridging the existing research gap across various disciplines.
Keywords: Online Retail, Touch, Haptic Information, Perceived Spatial Proximity, Human-Computer Interaction, Device Development
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